GCSE Graffiti project

I'm currently thinking about the GCSE unit I want to teach next. I've got a few difficult boys in the class and they're very interested in graffiti and such like. I'd like to be able to give them something to get their teeth into whilst also retaining the girls' interest. Think perhaps some sort of urban/graffiti art based scheme would be ideal? Anyone with any ideas/schemes/resources- I'd be sooooooo grateful if you could share them or send anything you've got which would be appealing to vickichaffe84@hotmail.com

I'm currently thinking about the GCSE unit I want to teach next. I've got a few difficult boys in the class and they're very interested in graffiti and such like. I'd like to be able to give them something to get their teeth into whilst also retaining the girls' interest. Think perhaps some sort of urban/graffiti art based scheme would be ideal? Anyone with any ideas/schemes/resources- I'd be sooooooo grateful if you could share them or send anything you've got which would be appealing to vickichaffe84@hotmail.com

IT CAN BE DONE AND IT ENGAGES PUPILS IMMEDIATELY - as long as you try to get them away from the 'tagging' mentioned by Moriaty.

Introduce your students to Grafitti street artists like Banksey - boys love his stuff. In some of his latest work he 'adapts' well-known artworks like Constable's Haywain and displays them in galleries recording how long it takes the gallery to realise. Brilliant stuff!!

You will need to have the project very structured to include research/ first-hand recording and collecting of visual info that relates to the students life and interests/ ensure developmental ideas are made and focus on a more experimental grafitti inspired outcome - don't forget to include a smattering of Photoshop!!.

Be brave - Grafitti Art is a valid artform and this is what the pupils know - so give them a chance to create the 'personal response' that the criteria states. You have to engage these boys before they completely turn away from their GCSE art and you've lost them (and the potential A*-C marks).

This year, I've managed to get the okay to use a wall in school near my classroom as a 'Designated Grafitti Area' (see Banksey). Pupils will photograph their work as it progresses or gets worked over by others and the series of photographs will be the final outcome.

In the past, I have had a few Graf Lads using this theme and they ended up making 'grafitti boxes' (c/o Cornell), sculptures of trains in urban settings showing grafitti on the train and walls, a large grafitti image on board. The results were one A, one B and one C. So it can be done - if you are passionate about Grafitti Art yourself, then let your pupils go for it - just make sure they realise the assessment criteria that they need to fulfill.

Go here www.thelearningcentre.org and Digital Art Tutorials, I developed a graffiti lesson and other tutorials as part of my last job. You need Photoshop Elements which you can get v.cheap. The kids love it, check out the others too. There are loads of PS tutorials on the web , but these are specific to the classroom, and were developed and tested in schools with staff and pupils. Enjoy Also sorts out implementing ICT into Art too, enjoy.

I too have done graffiti with GCSE pupils successfully. I have bought large pieces of mdf which the pupils take ownershp of. One project was to make a full body cast of half a pupil using modroc. This figure was in the position of spray painting graffiti onto the board. The figure was attached to the board and the graffiti added so it looked as though the figure was spraying.The project was linked to Basquiat and proved very popular. I use body casting a lot and do other projects where pupils heads are cast. They do three in total and gradually distort each model head. This is linked to Bacon or Munch. Words about emotion can be incorporated into the background. The distorted images are done on photoshop first.

Moriarty - for the previous work, you will have to use your imagination as I do not have any copies and have moved school since. Shame, as I too would love to show my students now. However, when the present project kicks off, I will be more than happy to send piccies - watch this space....

On the way to Tate Modern my year 11 art students were more interested in watching the bloke with the spray cans under that bit where the skateboarders hang out. He must have had 40 different cans. They took photographs on the way there and he was still at it when we walked back. It's contemporary culture, I like it.

You can justify it through cultural links too - for example im currently planning a unit re Apartheid imagery and the Shankhill murals, murals being a kind of street art/graffiti. Students then relate it to modern day conflict through emotion and distortion of the human form and using text.....

Some of these ideas sound brilliant. I love doing grafitti with the kids - just getting them to see past 'tagging' is a bonus! I don't know if any of you have seen the Grafitti Project - four Brazilian grafitti artists painted on a castle near Glasgow. I took kids down to see it, we spent the day making sketches and drawings of parts of it then they made their own artworks in class inspired by the styles. Painting a mural in a similar way in the school canteen now, though the kids are using their own themes. Nice time-lapse video on the site:

IT IS NOT A BIG NO NO at GCSE. I have successfully taught it to all types of students and all passed it, boys and GIRLS. They all enjoyed putting their own gender/ethnic slant onto it, finding out about Graffiti world culture, what defines legal and illegal Graffiti and using 3D as a medium for working in along with the usually associated 2D. I would say go for it and follow the normal sketchbook pathways of research, artist research, experimentation designs and final idea. [You must take health and safety into consideration, I have a rule that all spraying must be done with myself present in a safe and ventilated area, I always plan these sessions carefully]. If you use canvas encourage them to use collage [ lots of types of stuff] and textile work as part of it. It is a wonderful project, very enriching and exciting. Printmaking is another excellent medium of expression for Graffiti too.You will find the students are buzzing and happy as they work, looking forward to their next session. I am writing this 4 years after your posting to encourage others to take it up but was doing this type of GCSE long before you posted your comment. ENJOY/GO FOR IT. The secret is in the planning.